I learned about "free" foods 15 years ago upon my diagnosis with type 1 diabetes. By definition, they are foods with 25 calories or less per serving. They were often a lifesaver as I learned to navigate the disease and control my blood sugar with insulin, diet and exercise.

Thankfully, I was already a healthy person who enjoyed good-for-me foods and worked out often. Still, as I've hit my 30s, I realize free foods come in handy for weight control too. And isn't everyone thinking a little bit about that as they go bikini shopping?

Check out my favorite 5 calorie-free foods as part of our Summer Slimdown Guide and enjoy chewing, sipping, crunching through the season and feeling more confident in less clothing during the warm days ahead:

Source

We all want good skin, and we've all heard of countless different ways to go about getting it, but sitting in an enormous bowl of Ramen noodle soup? That's a new one.

A Japanese spa is offering just that: the opportunity to dip yourself in noodles to get a healthier glow. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you look at it!) it's not real noodles (just noodle-shaped spa treatments) but it is real broth. The pork-based broth contains collagen, hence the skin-enhancing benefits.

The treatment costs about $29 -- would you do it? I think I'll pass, and save my Ramen noodles for meals only.


Via Luxury Launches

Source

Not only is the sea calming for our souls by watching the waves coming in and going out and helping us unwind and relieve stress, but it is a provider of that fun summer vacation to soak up the sun we need and the exercise we need by walking, swimming, or biking.

But we need to look to the sea a little more often for the thousands of types of sea vegetables that we can eat. Sea vegetables are classified into categories by colors of brown, red or green. Each having a distinct shape, taste and texture. The sea cucumber sounds like one of our favorite salad foods but it is not a plant or vegetable. But here are some sea vegetables that are an excellent source of iodine, vitamin K, folate, magnesium and are a good source of calcium, iron and tryptophan. These are some of the most popular types of sea vegetables.

Nori is dark purple almost black in color and turns phosphorescent green when toasted. It is famous for its role in making sushi rolls. You can also slice nori into small strips and sprinkle on top of salads. Kelp is light brown to dark green in color and most often is available in flake form. You can sprinkle on salads or add to water to make a delicious broth. Hijiki looks like small strands of black wiry pasta and has a strong flavor. Kombu is very dark in color and generally sold in strips or sheets. It is used mostly as a flavoring for soups. Wakame is similar to kombu and most commonly used to make Japanese miso soup. Arame has a lacy, wiry look and this sea vegetable is sweeter and milder in taste than many others. Dulse is soft and chewy in texture and a reddish brown color.